As a compendium of both famous and little-known melodies by W.C. Handy, Carl Wolfe's “Where the Blues Began” is virtually unparalleled. Twenty-one instrumental interpretations are performed by a wind sextet (trumpet, trombone, clarinet, two saxophones, and tuba) backed by violin, banjo, and piano. Wolfe's informative liner notes provide contextual background for each melody, and the overall listening/reading experience is also a highly rewarding history lesson. For example, "Harlem Blues," published in 1923, contains a passage from the folk song "I've Laid Around This Town Too Long"; "Friendless Blues" from 1926 is built around "Got No Mo' Home Than a Dog," and Handy's "Atlanta Blues" of 1924 is closely based upon "Make Me a Pallet on the Floor." Carl Wolfe's devotion to Handy's oeuvre is remarkable, and it's worth noting that nowhere on the exterior album packaging is there any mention of Wolfe or his players. The star of the show is William Christopher Handy. His old-time blues-based melodies published during the years 1913-1932 are beautifully presented in a rather austere manner of which the composer would surely have approved.

This is what I Freeformed on WCBN 11/28/13, in reverse order, with radio waves from other galaxies provided near the end by Dr. Fiorella Terenzi.From 6:30 to 7:00 I read most of the introduction to Lizzie Collingham's "The Taste of War - WWII & the Battle for Food". Music bed for this recitation was Dmitri Shostakovich's Trio for Piano and Strings No 2 in E minor, Op. 67 played by the The Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio.

the beatles it's all too much yellow submarine capitol united future organization poetry and all that jazz united future organization brownswood/talkin loud/verve forecast

This program's pre-show list of potentials was shaped by several forces. For example there is the terrible aftermath of the storms that recently converged on the East Coast, and the hideous possibility of more protracted general devastation in this country if the Republicans wreck the economy and defecate all over the Bill of Rights.

For those who care about methodology, this is a revised list representing choices made in order to tailor the list to fit comfortably within a 60 minute radio broadcast. Six numbers were eliminated - they were the fluffiest of the lot, by Paul Whiteman and comparable dance bands. Some of the sequential ordering was also modified.

Music to accompany The Lady and the Beard (1931)directed by Yasujiro Ozu and starring Tokihiko OkadaVintage instrumental jazz and dance band recordings, both sweet & hotscored for Friday's screening at U of M's Natural Science Auditorium

This week, let's honor Spencer Williams - not the actor who appeared on TV's Amos & Andy show, but the songwriter who was born in New Orleans Louisiana on October 14 1889 and passed away in Flushing New York on July 14 1965. This remarkable man composed quite a number of early jazz standards.

Michigan is experiencing severe drought and record breaking high temperatures. My response is to initiate a series of programs serenading the earth and especially the water element. Most of these recordings were made in the 1920s, 30s & 40s. The titles on this list will potentially and even probably air, but not necessarily in the exact sequence you see here.

As Ann Arbor prepares to be occupied by a lot of people from out of town who will use a lot of the town to sell a lot of stuff to a lot of other people from out of town, this is at least the seed bed for the playlist I plan to use during Thursday night's broadcast on WCBN 88.3 FM www.wcbn.org

What's next?

Training sessions are held every Sunday at 4pm in our lobby. Go to the Thompson Street entrance of the Student Activities Building (515 Jefferson). Call 763-3500 and we'll buzz you in.Email training@wcbn.org for more information.